Electric cut-off switch.



Patented May 6, [902.

L. W. RICHARDSON.

ELECTRIC CUT-OFF SWITCH.

(Application filed 00b, 10 1901.)

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v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC LEONIDAS \V. RICHARDSON, OF DUSTIN, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO VERNON H. LOCKIVOOD, OF LAWVRENCE COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

ELECTRIC CUT-OFF SWITCH.

SEEQIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,633, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed October 10,1901. Serial No. 78.163. (No model.) V

T all who??? it y colwmnf glass tubes E, and the portion of each arm Be it known that I, LEONIDAS W. RICHARD: projecting below its recessed part is slotted, SON, a citizen of the United States, residing as at F, Fig. 3, to receive the parallel portions at Dustin, in the county of Lawrence and oftheframe G,andholts G'arepassedthrough 5 State of Tennessee, haveinvented certain new the slotted or bifurcated ends of the arms and and useful Improvements in Electric Cut-Off the frame to securely hold the yokes and frame Switches; and I do hereby declare the followtogether. A brace His fastened at one end to ing to be a full, clear, and exact description the building, as shownin Fig. 1, while its other of the invention, such as will enable others end is secured to the frame G, thereby making IO skilled in the art to which it appertains to the supportingframe secure and rigid.

make and use the same. Mounted in corresponding ends of the glass This invention relates to new and useful tubes are plugs K, made, preferably, of metal, improvements in switches or cut-off devices said plugs having a central bore, through used in connection with telephones or other which the wire L passes. The inner end of I5 electrical appliances, whereby the electrical each plug is chambered out and has a conical connections with the outside main wire may wall to receive and center the head L on the be readilydisconnected during electric storms wire L. To the opposite end of each wire is to secure safety to life and property; and it connected an electric wire M, which wires are consists particularly in the provision of a supposed to be connected to the phone or 2o switch-leverat anyconvenient location which other electric appliance. Mounted in each may be manipulated and securely held in a recess in the yoke-arms is an insulating-plug, position to either close or open'the circuit. of vulcanized rubber or other material, and The invention relates, further, to the varieach insulating-plugN is centrally apertured ous details of construction and, combination to receive a wire L. These wires L, it will be 25 of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully deobserved, are threaded to fit the interior scribed and then specifically defined in the threads of the metallic plugs K, so that the appended claims. heads of the wires may be drawn tightly My invention is clearly illustrated in the against the conical end of the bore of the plug. accompanying drawings, which, with the let- Each glass tube has a guide-plug O, the cir- 3o ters of reference marked thereon, form a part cumference of which fits the bore of the tube,

of this application, and in which drawings and through a central aperture of the guidesimilarletters of referenceindicatelike parts plug, which aperture is threaded, a wire Q in the several. views, in whichpasses, which wire is also threaded. These Figure 1 isavertical sectionalview through guide-plugs are adapt-ed to move back and 35 a portion of my apparatus, parts showing in forth in the glass tubes in order to bring the side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of inner ends of the wires Q into contact with the invention, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional the heads L of the wires L when it is desired view. to close the circuit. The mechanism for ac- Reference now being had to the details of tuating the guide-plugs and the Wires Q con- 40 the drawings by letter, Adesignatesa bracketsists of the strips R, of metal, which are pivarm, which is adapted for attachment to the oted to the switch-lever S and at their other wall of the house Bor any othersuitable place ends are fastened to the strip of vulcanized by screws or other means, and to said bracketrubber T. To the opposite end of the rubarm are secured the two yokes O and O, of her strip T are secured the braces J, made, 45 similar construction, said yokes being faspreferably, of metal, the other ends of said tened to the bracket-arm by bolts D. In Fig. braces being fastened to the insulating-bar 3 I have shown the stud of the yoke as re- W, which passes through eyes formed in the cessed to receive the bracket-arm; but the ends of the braces. A spreader W is intertwo may be fastened together in any other posed between the eyes of the braces J and I00 50 suitable manner, if desired. The arms of the serves to hold the braces apart. The outer yokes are recessed to receive the ends of the end of each wire Q has an eye Q, and each contact with the heads of the wires L.

eye is designed to fit over said rubber insulating-bar W, and suitable insulating-washers V are interposed between the eyes Q and the eyes at the outer ends of the braces J. To each eye Q is connected a wire X, the one connected to the ground and the other to the outsidemain.

' One end of the switch-lever S is pivoted, as at S, to a segment S the latter having notchesI to receive the end of the dog Z,which latter is mounted in a recess in the lever S. As the pivoted end of the lever S is bifurcated, the inner end of the dog will readily seat in one or the other of said recesses. A set-screw ,P is secured to the dog and is designed to seat in a slot in the upper end of the lever S to prevent the dog from turning when in a locking relation.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when it should be desired to break the ci rcuit,'as duringa thunder-storm,the switchlever is merely thrown so that the inner ends ofthe wires Q will be out of contact with the heads of the wires L, after which there will be no danger from burning out of the connected parts with the outside main, as the supporting frame is thoroughly insulated from the live wires. To complete the circuit, the lever is thrown in the opposite direction and the points of the wires Q are brought into tions between said lever and the wires passing through the guide-plugs, as set forth.

2. In combination with the glass tubes, the frame supporting the same,the metallic plugs, one secured inthe corresponding end of each tube, each plug being centrally apertured and threaded, the inner end of the plugs being chambered out in conical shape, a headed wire seated in said chambered portion, with the Wire passing through the threaded aperture therein, the guide-plugs, one in each tube and centrally apertured, a threaded wire passing through the apertured portion of each guide-plug, a switch-lever, and segment to which it is pivoted, a dog engaging a recess in said segment, an insulating-bar connecting the eyes at the outer ends of the threaded wires engaging said guide-plugs, and a connection between the switch-lever and the in: sulating-bar, substantially as shown and tie scribed.

3. In combination with the bracket-arm, the yokes secured thereto, the frame secured to said yokes, the glass tubes supported in recessed portions of said yokes, the metallic plugs chambered as described and seated in the ends of said tubes, the threaded Wires passing through threaded apertures in said plugs, the movable guide-plugs in the tubes, the threaded wires passing through threaded apertures in said movable guide-plugs and having eyes at their outer ends, the switchlever, the insulating-bar mounted in the eyes of said wire, the insulating-strip connecting the switch-lever with said insulating-bar and the insulating washers and spreader on said bar, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I al'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEONIDAS \V. RICHARDSON.

' Witnesses:

A. L. HOUGH, J. H. STAPLES. 

